Believe Quote by Jostein Gaarder
“Kierkegaard also said that truth is 'subjective'. By this he did not mean it doesn't matter what we think or believe. He meant that the really important truths are personal. Only these truths are 'true for me'.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Sophie's World, 1991
Important truths are personal; they become true for an individual when they are lived and felt, not just thought.
In simple terms: Truth is personal and lived.
Key Takeaway
Seek personal meaning in truth.
Themes
philosophy
subjectivity
truth
personal growth
existentialism
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- education
- self‑reflection
- spiritual practice
- creative writing
- dialogue
Key Concepts
existential truth
subjective reality
meaning-making
Questions to Reflect On
- What personal truth guides your life?
- How do you balance personal belief with shared reality?
A Different Perspective
Subjective truth can clash with objective facts, causing conflict.
![“[Søren ] Kierkegaard said it for me a long time ago. He said, 'You can't really think yourself into a faith, into a religion. It's something you have to make a leap into faith.' And I've never been able to do that. I wish I could. Then maybe I could believe in an afterlife.” quote by Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7cc/nat-hentoff-1615_able_s-ren-kierkegaard-said-it-for-me-a-long_1177231.jpg)
![“The individual in modern urban society had become 'the public', he said [Kierkegaard], and the predominant characteristic of the crowd, or the masses, was all their noncommittal 'talk'. Today we would probably use the word 'conformity'; that is when everybody 'thinks' and 'believes in' the same…” quote by Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1cd/jostein-gaarder-676_community_the-individual-in-modern-urban-society-h_2141909.jpg)
